Getting to hillhacks

Travel to Bir can involve planes, trains, buses, and/or taxi. Once you have reached Bir, see the venue details at the venue page for more instructions.

By plane

The closest airport to Bir is Dharamshala airport, which is actually in
Gaggal, about 30-45 minutes south of Dharamshala. Flights between Delhi and
Dharamshala (Gaggal Airport in Kangra) have been suspended, but may be resumed
at some point so check with your travel agent or travel websites. (Beware: due
to weather and other issues, flights to or from Dharamshala can be cancelled at
the last minute, so it’s wise to schedule in some breathing room, and maybe a
Plan B). If your flight does manage to reach Dharamshala airport, you can make
the onward journey from there to Bir by bus or taxi (see the relevant sections
below for details).

By train

Nearest train station: Ahju (2 km away)

Option 1 — Train to Pathankot + bus/taxi onward to Bir

The most common way to travel to Bir by train is to take a train from Delhi (or
wherever your origin may be) to Pathankot/Chakki Bank (two neighbouring train
stations in the Punjab, either of which is fine) and then make the rest of the
journey to Bir by bus (6-8 hours) or taxi (4-5 hours).

Option 2 — Train to Pathankot + toy train onward to Bir

It is also possible to go almost all the way to Bir by train if one has
considerable patience and/or a profound love for trains. There is a charming
little toy train that leaves every morning from Pathankot to Ahju, just 3 km
from Bir (below the Bir Road intersection). Most overnight trains from Delhi
(when running on time) reach Pathankot approximately an hour before the toy
train leaves, so the connection is doable unless your train from Delhi is quite
late (which, of course, is always a possibility, though less likely on Rajdhani
and Shatabdhi express trains).

Which option should I choose? The toy train is great for some but not for
everyone. The toy train ride is long (around 7 hours), as slow as a glacier,
and often crowded. Some people find the long and somewhat bumpy journey tiring.
For others, the beautiful Himalayan scenery more than compensates for any
inconveniences. If a seven-hour train ride with inspiring views sounds like a
great meditation to you, don’t miss it. Otherwise, consider bus or taxi. If
you do take the toy train, bring a something soft (e.g. a cushion or a thick
jacket) to sit on to make the rattly ride more comfortable… and maybe a good
book.

By bus

Bus stop nearest to the venue: Chaugan

From Delhi

Bir is about 12-14 hours from Delhi by bus. From the Inter-state Bus Terminal
(ISBT), take a bus to either Baijnath or Bir Road (the latter is closer, but
most buses from Delhi only go as far as Baijnath). There is direct bus (Volvo)
from Delhi to Bir that departs at 18:48 from ISBT Kashmiri Gate. There are two
overnight buses from Delhi to Baijnath, both of which depart mid-evening and
arrive early morning. (Note: If your bus terminates at Baijnath, see the From
Baijnath section below for notes on how to reach your final
destination in Bir from Baijnath).

From Pathankot/Chakki Bank

Jump on any bus heading for Dharamshala, Kangra, Palampur, Baijnath, Mandi,
Manali, or Shimla, and then refer to the notes for Dharamshala and Baijnath
below.

From Dharamshala

Bir is about four or five hours from Dharamshala by bus, depending on the timing
of buses and number of connections. There are three ways to travel from
Dharamshala to Bir by bus, listed here starting with the most convenient.

There are two daily direct buses to Bir Road/Upper Bir leaving at 06:00 and
14:00 from the bus station in (lower) Dharamshala. (About 4 hours)

Alternatively, you can take a direct bus from Dharamshala to Baijnath, and from
there continue onward to Bir either by local bus or by taxi (see the From
Baijnath section immediately below).

If the timing of direct buses to Bir or Baijnath doesn’t work for you, the
last-resort options are these: either take a bus to Palampur and change there
for any other bus onward to Baijnath or further east, or just hop on any bus
heading east from Dharamshala, including those to Jogindernagar, Mandi, Manali,
or Shimla, and ask the driver or conductor to drop you off at Bir Road (note: if
you get to Chauntra or Jogindernagar, you’ve gone too far). This can take
anywhere from 3 to 5 hours.

From Baijnath

If your bus terminates at Baijnath, you then have the option of travelling the
last leg to Bir (20-30 minutes) either by bus or by taxi (about Rs. 250). If
you choose to go by bus, there are two options. The most convenient is to take
one of the direct buses from Baijnath to Bir (which leave about every half hour
or so and go all the way to Upper Bir). Alternatively, you can take any bus
heading east from Baijnath (e.g. Jogindernagar, Mandi, Manali, or Shimla) and
ask the driver or conductor to drop you off at Bir Road.

Note that none of the regular buses go to the Tibetan Colony, so if your
destination is in the Colony, you can either take a taxi from wherever your bus
drops you or take a bus to Upper Bir and ask the driver or conductor to drop you
off at Chowgan Chowk (the intersection where Bir Road meets Chowgan Road), and
then walk west on Chowgan Road about 1km until you reach the Tibetan Colony
(about 10 minutes on foot).

By taxi

Taxi is the fastest and most convenient way of getting to Bir from Pathankot or
Dharamshala, but it is also by far the most expensive and the least
eco-friendly, so if you come by car, please consider sharing the ride with
others.

The closest stop for most long-distance buses to Chowgan (including the
Tibetan Colony or Deer Park). ↩

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